HF Bailey in Cromer Henry Blogg Museum
History
British RNLI Flag
OwnerRoyal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)
BuilderGroves and Guttridge Ltd, Isle of Wight
Official Number:ON 777
Donor:Legacy of Henry Francis Bailey, Brockenhurst, Hampshire.
StationCromer
Cost£7,307 14s 0d
Christened27 August 1937
In service1935
FateOn display at the Henry Blogg Museum in Cromer
General characteristics
TypeWatson Cabin motor
Tonnage18.78 gross tonnage
Length31 ft 9 in (9.68 m) overall
Draught9 ft 5 in (2.87 m)
Installed powerTwo Weyburn CE4 four-cylinder Diesel engines of 40 BHP (30 kW)
Speed8 knots (15 km/h)
Complement12 crew plus 95 rescues

RNLB H F Bailey (ON 777) is the most famous Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat to have served from Cromer, because she was used by Coxswain Henry Blogg to perform many of his most famous lifesaving exploits. The lifeboat was on station for the ten years between 1935 and 1945.[1] She is now part of the National Historic Fleet[2] and has been preserved in the RNLI Henry Blogg Museum in Cromer.[3]

From 1923 to the end of the Second World War in 1945 the Cromer station had four motor-powered lifeboats all called H F Bailey after the donor, Mr Henry Francis Bailey, a London merchant who had been born in Brockenhurst, Norfolk and had died in 1916.[4]

Construction

H F Bailey was built at the yard of Groves and Guttridge Ltd on the Isle of Wight. Her hull is constructed using double diagonal planking of Honduras mahogany on a framework of teak ribs and beams, with the stem and stern posts and her keel of English oak. The stern and stem posts are grown to the required shape to give the lifeboat its strength and sturdiness. She is 46 feet (14 m) long and 12 feet 9 inches (3.89 m) wide. The hull is divided into seven watertight compartments, of which the engine room is one. The hull is fitted with 142 mahogany air cases, each individually made to fit into its allocated position in the hull. Her equipment included the latest innovations of the time which included a line throwing gun and an electric searchlight.[5]

Further use

RNLB HF Bailey went on to serve Helvick Head Lifeboat Station in County Waterford Republic of Ireland until 1969 when the station was closed. It remained closed until 1994 when it was reopened by the RNLI. The lifeboat stationed there today is an Atlantic 75 and provides cover in the area between Youghal and Tramore Lifeboat Stations.

Rescues and service

Rescues by H F Bailey (ON 777)
Date Casualty Lives saved
1936
26 MarchSteamship Boree of Caen, landed 7 from steamship Cadeuceus
2 AprilFishing boat Little Madge of Sheringham, in tow of lifeboat J C Madge of Sheringham
and fishing boats John Roberts and White Rose of Cromer, stood by boats
20 AprilBarge Will Everard of London, stood by vessel
7–11 AugustSteamship San Francisco of Le Havre, rendered assistance
16–18 NovemberSteamship Nesttun of Tvedestrand, rendered assistance
18 NovemberSteam drifter Pitagaveny of Banff, saved10
19 NovemberSteamship Yew Forest of Glasgow, took out a doctor
19 NovemberSteamship Lindisfarne of Newcastle on Tyne, rendered assistance
1937
9 NovemberSpritsail barge Hibernia of London3
1938
10 FebruaryFishing boat Urgent of Cromer, stood by boat
May 30Fishing boat G V H of Great Yarmouth, saved boat2
7 AugustMotor vessel John M of London, stood by vessel
2 NovemberSteamship Cantabria of Santander, saved5
27 DecemberSteamship Otto H of Pori, rendered assistance
1939
18 JuneRowing boat of Cromer, Landed 5
9 OctoberSteamship Mount Ida of Piraeus, saved29
1 DecemberSteamship Realf of Moss, landed 32 and 10 naval ratings from Santa Gata
8 DecemberSteamship Corea[6] of Goole, saved7
12 DecemberSteamship Corbrook of London, stood by vessel
21 DecemberMotor vessel Dosinia of London, assisted to save vessel51
1940
9 JanuarySteamship Upminster of London, stood by vessel
11 JanuarySteamship Traviata of Genoa, landed 30 and saved1
11 JanuaryHMT Holyrood, gave help
12 JanuaryLight Vessel No 58, saved a ship's boat3
18 JanuarySteamship Asteria of Piraeus, saved11
18 JanuaryLight Vessel No 58, saved a ship's boat4
30 JanuarySteam trawler Pelton of Grimsby, gave help
27 AugustAircraft, salvaged wreckage and gear
3 OctoberMV Actuosity of London, saved8
15 NovemberHMT Dungeness, saved11
25 NovemberHMT Dungeness, salvaged gear
7 DecemberSteamship Royston of Newcastle on Tyne, stood by
12 DecemberSteamship Royston of Newcastle on Tyne, gave help
1941
15 JanuarySteamship Lieutenant Robert Mory of Belfast, landed 19 and gave help
25 JanuarySteamship Meriones of Liverpool, saved101
8 MarchBoat from steamship Corduff of London, saved13
8 MarchSteamship Kenton of Newcastle, saved two boats
13 MarchSteamship Essex Lance of London, gave help
14 MarchSteamship Essex Lance of London, gave help
26 MarchSteamship Kentwood of London, stood by
24 JulyAircraft, saved dinghy and picked up a body
6 August(Convoy FS 559) Steamship Oxshott of London, saved16
6 August(Convoy FS 559) Steamship SS Gallois of Rouen, saved31
6 August(Convoy FS 559) Steamship Deerwood of London, saved19
6 August(Convoy FS 559) Steamship Betty Hindley, saved22
15 SeptemberMotor vessel Pontfield of Newcastle, gave help
September 23Steamship J B Paddon of London, landed an injured man
Between Sept 17 – 6 NovSteamship Teddington of London, gave help on 22 occasions
16 OctoberBritish aircraft, landed a body
26 OctoberSteamship English Trader of London, saved44
1942
29 JanuaryAeroplane dinghy seven miles north of Cley next the Sea, saved1
2 FebruaryMotor vessel Sedulity of London, landed an injured man
15 MarchHMS Vortigern, picked up 11 bodies after torpedo attack
11 AprilBritish aeroplane, landed 6
25 MayYacht Betty of Gorleston, gave help
20 JulyAeroplane, gave help
18 NovemberMotor fishing boat Silver Queen of Lowestoft, saved vessel2
1943
12 MarchBarrage balloon, salvaged balloon
26 JulyWellington Bomber aeroplane, saved5
1944
20 JuneAeroplane, salvaged wreckage
29 JulyAeroplane, salvaged gear
7–10 DecemberSteamship Samnethy of London, saved
1945
4 FebruaryMotor vessel Valder of Hartlepool, gave help

See also

References

  1. ↑ Cromer Lifeboats 1804–2004, Appendix 1 Lifeboat Summary.
  2. ↑ "H F Bailey (1446)". nationalhistoricships.org.uk. Archived from the original on 26 January 2008.
  3. ↑ "Cromer Lifeboats - Museum". www.cromerlifeboats.org.uk. Archived from the original on 10 February 2007.
  4. ↑ Cromer Lifeboats 1804–2004, page 54.
  5. ↑ Cromer Lifeboats 1804–2004, Two New Lifeboats, page 73.
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". www.starlightpublishing.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 August 2007. Retrieved 19 September 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  • Cromer Lifeboats 1804–2004, Leach, Nicholas & Russell, Paul, Pub: Tempus Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0-7524-3197-8.

Further reading

  • The History of Cromer Lifeboats and Crew; H.F. Bailey 777 1935 - 1945 Cromer, Kitty Lee, 1991, ISBN 0-9518530-0-7
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